Kieran Trippier admits that he was shocked when he learned how long Newcastle United have gone without winning a domestic trophy.
Eddie Howe has used the trophy drought as motivation around the club's Benton base and the fact that United have gone 68 years without one was displayed on screens around the ground. Trippier has also held long chats with former season ticket holders such as Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn who gave him a history lesson on the club's wait for success.
When asked his reaction after being told it was 68 years for a trophy and 54 for any major trophy - the Fairs Cup in 1969 - Trippier spoke of his surprise. Speaking ahead of tonight's League Cup semi-final, Trippier said: "It was a bit of a shock when you look at how big the club is but I have Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, loads of players who are Geordies and they try and drill it into the boys how much it would mean to get to a final and to win a cup.
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"We don’t want to look too far ahead. We have a tough game against Southampton, they have been on a good run recently so now it is about rest and recovery and getting prepared for Tuesday."
Trippier also underlined the importance of having players who were brought up as supporters in the dressing room. The England star added: "Definitely. You look at Dan Burn who is Newcastle through-and-through and Longs as well.
"They know how much it means to represent the club in the first place and to play for the club in a semi-final of a cup. We need to keep pushing. We need to listen to them, we listen to their stories and talk about the history of the club and we know that.
"For all the new players who have come in - like me - it is important to understand and learn about the history of the club and we certainly are and Tuesday is a huge game."
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